Introducing: Playadettes Luzern
The Playadettes consist of actual- and former- 1st division players (highest Swiss league), and is playing since 2002 beachhandball in Switzerland and abroad. Since 2003 they organize, together with the BHC Luzern (www.bhc-luzern.ch) their own tournament, which is an EBT tournament, the main tournament in Switzerland which is fast growing. The next tournament will take place in 2009, 13nd and 14th of June 2009, in Kriens. All international teams are welcome to join!
Is this the first time that you will play on Masters tour? If yes,what do you expect? (of organization,other teams….)
The Playadettes join the 3rd time in the EBT Masters (2007 in Nagyatad/Hungary, 2008 in Valencia/Spain).
You are representing your state on this tournament,so are there any strong sponsors or media to help the team to promote you(some sport magazines or tv?) Is beach handball a popular sport in your state?
We do not have any big sponsors or media to support or promote us.In Switzerland there were 11 tournaments this year, with in total 192 teams (of which 17 international teams). Beachhandball is very attractive in summertime for players coming out of the indoor competition.
How long do you exist as a team,when did you start to play and what was the beginning like?Was it difficult to create a beach handball club?
The BHC Luzern was founded in 2005 as the first Beachhandballclub in Switzerland.
Where do you have trainings? How many courts are per city? Do you use maybe indoor courts during winter?
In summertime we train outdoor, twice a week. We have 1 court for training. In wintertime we train once a week indoor.
Do you,as a team, play only beach handball or do you play also indoor handball and just play together during the summer?
Most of the Playadettes playaers only play Beachhandball now in summertime. 3 of us also play indoor during wintertime.
How is the championship organized in your state? How many tournaments do you have?
About 10 qualification-tournaments are played within the «Swiss-Beachhandball-Masters-Tour» every year. The 8 best men- and women- teams play the masters-final in august every year for the swiss championship title. Most of the qualification tournaments are noted as an EBT tournament.
How many tours do you play per year, do you often play in other countries in Europe or maybe on other continents?
The Playadettes play about 10 tournaments every year (incl. the EBT-Mastersfinal an 1 international tournament in Germany). And they play as the «Swiss National Team» every 2 years at the European Championsship (provided they are Swiss National Champion)
Are there any players in your team that play for the national team?
One of our players, Martina Gisler, is playing for the Swiss National Team (indoor). Furthermore we have 4 players who played in the past for the national team.
How do you plan to prepare the team for Masters tour? Do you train every day during the season?
During wintertime we train once a week. As off springtime we traine twice a week, and we play in 2-3 tournaments in Switzerland before the EBT Masters. Additionally each player does individual trainings to keep up with her fitness.
What are your goals on Masters tour? Just to play and have fun or to win one of the medals?
This year we were 6th in Valencia. We want to improve this ranking in 2009!
Do you have any information of other teams on Masters?
The german team «Flying Kangaroos» will join our own tournament next year fpr the 2nd time. Some other teams we meet also in other tournaments (e.g. in Einsiedeln, Detono Zagreb PMF)
How do you see the progress of beach handball in future?
Beachhandball can only be extended end developend when the national confederations actively support this sport. This support actually is in Switzerland as well as in Germany actually on a rather low level. How about in other countries?
How do you see the differences between indoor and beach handball?
Beachhandball is much more spectacle, and not so «body-focused». In Beachhandball you can practice many tactical variants!
Do you have some program of creating young beach players,or everyone just plays indoor and for fun beach? Do you think that it is necessary to develop beach handball as independent sport,not so connected to indoor handball and players?
Beachhandball should be supported much more by broadcasting on television. It’s a very spectacular and dynamic sport which is very good for the television.
Do you have any information about croatian beach handball? (teams,results…?)
Not much, only through the websites of some Croatian teams?